Harispring testing and adjustment mechanism



July 19, 1949. R. OLINGER 2,476,761

HAIRSPRING TESTING'AND ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM Filed June 18, 1945 4 Sheefs-Sheet 1 AIIII r. n

g lllllllllllllil t 45 ROBERT OL'INGER MTTOW i NVEZNTOK R. OLINGER HAIRSPRING TESTING AND ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM Filed June 18; 1945 7 July 19, 1949.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVELNFOP- ROBERT OLINGER OJTTO Nay R. OLINGER HAIRSPRING TESTING AND ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM Filed June 18, 1945 AMPLIFIER F &

PiCKUP amuuiuzo I FREQUEMZY GENERATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 HIGH VOLTAGE TNVLNTOM ROBERT OLINGER (fl-Pran July 19, 1949. v R. OLINGER 2,476,761 nuasrnmemnswme AND ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM Filed June 18, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 I lv IL i m 8 1| co m l i m :i 2. ii i a: L VT Eff ENVLNTOKJ ROBERT OLINGER' 6Q TTOKQEY Patented July 19, 1949 HAIRSPRING TESTING AND ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM Robert Olinger, La Salle, 111., assignor to General Time Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 18, 945, Serial No. 600,097 12 Claiml. *(ci. 73-6) The present invention pertains to the testing and adjustment of hairspring and balance wheel assemblies such as are used in clocks or other timepieces. a v

The general aim of the invention is to simplify the problem of adjusting hairsprings to maintain preselected rates of vibration, particularly in a manner suited for use in large-scale manufacture of timepieces.

More particularly, it is an object or the invention to'provide a testing machine or mechanism upon which one after another of a series of hairsprin-g and balance wheel assemblies may be set up, departures from a selected value indicated for the natural period or rate of oscillation or vibration of the assembly, and the hairspring quickly and easily adjusted to bring the rate to precisely the predetermined value desired.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description' proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

pick-up circuit connections and initial stage of amplification included in the machine.

Fig. 11 is a wiring diagram or the balance of V the electrical circuiting included in the machine modifications and alternative constructions, I

have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but

5 it is to be understood that I do not thereby 1 intend to .limit the invention to the specific Inform disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring more particularly to the exemplary embodiment of the invention herein illustrated,

Figure Us a general perspective view of a hairspring testing and adjustment mechanism embodying the present invention. I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a hairspring and balance wheel assembly, typical of the form which the presently disclosed mechanism is adapted to test.

Fig. 3 an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3a is a. detail. plan view of the outer portion of the hairspring included in the assembly of Fig. 2 and showing the same after it has been showing the interior of the upper portion of the housing of the machine in which the stroboscopic disk is housed.

Fig. 8 is a face view of the stroboscopic disk included in the mechanism shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a schematic representation of the connections between the principal electrical components of the machine.

Fig. 10 is a schematic wiring diagram or the wound clocks and like devices. 26"

the same has been shown (Fig. l) as embodied in a machine for testing and adjusting hairspring and balance wheel assemblies like that of Fig. 2.

The assembly shown in the latter figure is of the familiar form commonly used in spring It comprises a spiral spring l5 having its inner end fixed to a balance stafi l6 carrying a balance wheel II. The hairspring l5 itself is made of metal, usually steel, and is therefore electrically conductive, a factor of which advantage is taken in the present invention as will hereinafter appear.

Hairspring and balance wheel assemblies like that of Fig. 2 are employed for regulating the sp ed of spring driven clock trains or the like. The assembly is dependent for its operation upon its; natural period or frequency of vibration. The outer end of the spring I5 is anchored during use, and the balance wheel I! oscillated back and forth by the coiling and uncoiling of the spring as the latter vibrates. The rate of vibration inheres in the spring and varies with its effective length. In manufacturing a timepiece to fixed specifications, it is therefore necessary to adjust the hairspring IS with extreme precision and nicety to afiord exactly the required rate of vibration. With the disclosed machine that adjustment can be made quickly and easily by a comparatively unskilled operator.

The general plan followed in the disclosed machine is to set up the hairspring and balance wheel assembly in such manner that the hairspring constitutes one electrode of a condenser. Then the spring is set to vibrating so that its changes in position relative to a. cooperating stationary condenser electrode, incident to the hairsprings vibration, alter the electrical capacwhich the operator can readily determinewhem; through adjustment of the hairspring, he has}.

achieved a desired or predetermined natural frequency of vibration for the spring. Desirably the signaling arrangement is such that the frequency of spring vibration is stroboscopically, compared with a fixed frequency of the desired predetermined value.

By way of further preliminary to detailed'consideration of the illustrated testing machine, it

overarm 26 and has its nose portion 38 inserted in the groove defined by the spool 34. The operating handle thus serves to slide the rod 30 up and down in the sleeve 28.

When inserting a hairspring assembly in the machine the operator slides the whole tailstock assembly 29-upward in thefsleeve 2-7 and puts the hairspring'essembly in place. .The tailstock is then pulled down to engage the bearing 3| with Ethe upper end of the stall I6, and the handle 35 raised to force the bearing down tightly against should be noted in reference toits manipulation that provision is made for releasably fixing the as sembly 55, H in place for unimpeded vibrationp Having given the balance wheel a flip to set the spring i5 vibrating, theoperator observes a strobescopic dislzl8 through an aperture 19 (Fig. 1) in ahousing or casing 20. So long as the spring I5 isvibrating at a frequency other than that which. has been chosen by preliminary setting of the instrui'nent, the disk 18 willappear to revolve. .By simply turning a knobZl the length of the spring 25 (and hence its frequency of vibration) is altered, the disk [Shaving the appearance of slowing down as the frequency "of the spring I5. ap preaches the preselected value for the same. Finally, when the frequency of the spring l5 has been adjusted so that the spring is vibrating at precisely the preselected rate, the disk In hasthe appearance of being stationary; Thereupon the. operator pulls a lever 22 to kink the spring at the. point of-determined length and out 01f any excess length of spring. The hairspring I5 is thus completely readied for installation in a timepiece.-

Having in mind the general plan of the machine as outlined above, attention may'nowbe given to details of the exemplary mounting, ad justment and cut-off mechanism associated with the spring. I5, and thereafter to the exemplary form'si electric signaling system employed.

The testing machine illustrated (see Fig. 1) in-- cludes a main base 23 to which is fixed the housing and on which is removablyrested a heavy metal base or block 24. Rising from the-latter base 2 3 is a post 25 carrying an overhanging arm 26 to which is fixed a spring sleeve 21. The outer sleeve 28 of a tailstock assembly, designated generally as 29, is gripped by the spring sleeve '21.- This tails'tock assembly also includes a rod 30- Inounted for limited endwise sliding movement within the sleeve 28 and carrying a jewel bearing 3| on its lower end. A second jewel bearing 32 is fixed in a stud 33 made of insulating material and fixed to the base 24.

The ends of "the balance stafi 16 are received in .ltliefs taifz 'Thereafter'the handle is dropped, raising'the bearing 3| by an abount equal to the clearance between the upper end of the sleeve 28 and'spo'ol 34 so that the stafi i6 is free to turn without any binding in the bearings.

The outer or. free end of the hairspring I5 is pulled downward and gripped between a pair of rollers 39, 49 so that the hairspring assumes the generally helical configuration of Fig. 3 as distinguished from its normal fiat, spiral configuration shown in ,Fig.- -2. The roller -39 is grooved, the ceacting roller 46 being dimensioned to enter within the groove so that the hairspring is tightly clamped-between them. It will thus be seen that by revolving the clamping rollers ,39, '40 the length.

of the hairspiing l5 between its respective end anchorage pointsattheshaft i6 and at rollers 39, 40 may be varied alt-will, thus altering the natural frequency of =yibration of. the, spring the jewel bearings 31 32. It is imperative that the stair i 5 be able to turn freely in its bearings during the testing operation so that 'therewill be no stickiness of the bearings to alter the apparent natural frequency of the hairspring l5. It is toinsure such freedom that the tailstock rod 30 is given a slight freedom of 'endwise movement in the leeve 23. As to that, it will be observed that a spoo'lte is fixed to the upper end of the rod 30; the lower face of the spool having a clearance of, for example, about 0.005inch from the upper end-f of the sleeve 28 when the rod 39 is pulled upwith-' in. the sleeve 23 until the bearing 31 abuts against" the lower end of such-sleeve. An operating handle ;;The clamping rollers 39, 40 are turned for adjustingthe eflective length ofthe spring-by the operating knob, 21 heretofore ,noted. The operat- ,ingconnectiohs between the knob 2| and the rollto a shaft 4|,;jour-naled in a rectangular slide 42 which is mounteddn the base 24 to move endwise intermediate gear 44 aneshes with a gear 45 rigid- Rigidly lysecured-tothe lower end 'of'a pin 41. secured to the upper end..-of.pin 4?! is-a gear rigid withthegroller 4.8, which .in turn-meshes with a gear; 46 rigid with the cooperating clamping roller 39. Pin 41 is .l'ournaled in a lever arm 48 pivoted at;49 .to' swing roller 41! toward the cooperating clamping. roller'39. A tension spring 50 yieldablyurges-the lever 48 to swing in a direction- (-counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 4) to bring-theroll'e-rs. 39, 4'8 together, thereby maintaming the hairspri-ng tB-firmlyclamped between the rollers with a pressure determined by the setting'of'the spring 503 1 To retain the intermediate gear 44 and roller gear 45 in mesh, the -slid'efi42 carrying the gear 44.,..along with the gear 43, is urged toward the gear 45 by a tension spring 5|. The latter spring ,is-.;oonnected toalever 52 pivoted at 53 and also pivotal'lyzcoiinectedito the pin 43a carried by the slide 42.. .An adjustable stop'54 serves, however, to limit-the :travel of the lever 52 sufficiently, in a direction toward the gear 45, so that the ten- ;sidnof the spring 5 l is l'ne'ver imposed through the earing' onto the clamping rollers 39,45. In this manner the-gear drive for the clamping rollers is retained constantly-m mesh, despite variations in bodily displacement of-'-the-rollersrelative to 35-is pivoted at 36 on -a 'bracltet 3l fii ed to i -each otheririkfiderit' te"variations-in thickness of men the hairsprings l which they-may clamp; a d

without alteration in the clamping pressure; e e

erted from the spring 50.

'A handle szaon the lever 52- (Fig. 4) is'po'si-j ti'oned-to project in convenient positio'nbeyond the front edge of the base 24 (see Fig. 1-) andis used in opening the rollers 39,- Mtfor insertionor removal of a hairspring l5. For that purpose a link 52bis pivoted on the outer end of the lever 52 and has a lost motion pin and slot type connection at 48a with the lever 48. -Pullingon the handle 52a to swing the lever 52 to the right (as viewed in Fig. 4) thus causes the link 52b todraw the lever 48 rightward, Withdrawin the roller 49- away'from the roller 39. When the'handle 52d;

is released the springs 56, 5| snap the respectivelevers 48 and 52 backl But the lost motion con nection' illa, prevents imposition of the tensiono i" hence in the'clarnpspring 5| on the lever 48 ing rollers. I

A combination kinking and cut-off device designated generally as 55 (see Figs; 1 and'4) is also mounted on the base 24. This device includes a bar 56 slidable endwise within a housing 57 in" response to swing of the lever 22 heretofore noted" and to which it is pivotally connectedl An upstanding lug 58 on the inner end of the bar 56 3 is disposed within the lowermost convolution of* the hairspring i5 at a point slightly beyond the so bitehof theclamping rollers 39; 40. As the'bar 55.'is pulled endwise toward the housing 5?, the adjacent portion of the hairsprin I5 is thus pulled'against a stationary abutment 58, kinking thesame in theconfiguration indicated at I; iri Fig. 3 1. At the same time astationary cutter blade 6!] shears off theunneeded end portion of the hairspring beyond the kink. It will be under the hairspring at such while in the testing machine, as one electrode'of' acondenser. A cooperating stationaryelectrodef is constituted by'a, tapered metal'shell't l '(Figs."3 and 6) fitted overthe'insulating stud 33. This shell is shaped to conform generally to the helical configuration of the hairspring [5 that the latter assumes while in the testing 'machine. Upon reference to Fig. 3 it will be observed that the stud 33 has a'laterally projecting flange 33a'of "insulating material integraltherewith which is set into the face of the metal base 24 so as preclude-any possibility of inadvertent grounding of the shell 6 I. Circuit connections are established to the hair; spring 65 and shell 6| which constitute the two condenser electrodes. For that purpose a wire 62 is'l'edfroin the'snell (H to a contact prong 63 received in a receptacle B4. The hairspring IE, on

theother hand, is grounded through themetal clamping roller 39 which it contacts anda wiping spring contact which is connected to ground and engages a pin 66 carrying the roller 39. 'To further insure adequate grounding ofthe spring [5 a metal cup 61 (Figs. 4 and 6) is grounded't'o metal plate 24 and carries a globule of mercury 68 in which a portion of the hairspring' is received.

With the hairspring I5 fixed in the testing machine in the position shown in Fig. 3, the operator gives the balance wheel I! a flip to set it oscillatin'g. ,"Upon each contraction andexpansion of the vibrating hairspring l5, such spring approaches toward and retreats'from the metal shell 5!, thus periodically varying the; air gap between them and hence the capacity" of what-amounts to an 3 6 electrical condenser constituted by thehair spring and shell and the air dielectricbetweeh them. Provision is 'made for utilizing such p'eri-; odic'changesfin -'capacity-to control correspbnd ingly thefiashing of alampwhich illuminatesthe stroboscopi'c disk IS. The disk is driven'at a constant speed by a motor 10, the speed selected being one'corresponding to the desired rate of* hairspring vibration. The-motor ll! may,' for 10' example; be asynchronous motor suppliedflfroma""standard-frequency generator H '(Fig. 9) so that lay-changing the" generator frequencythe motor 'speed canbe correspondingly 'controlledfi V ariouslforms' of such standard frequency generators are well-known in'the art and consequently neednot -be detailed here} The stroboscopic'disk It may take various specific forms' In this in-" stance it is translucent and has an'arbitrarily chosen series-of numbers on it. Such numbers are applied so that the operator may more readily detect apparent movement of the disk; Of course"; the disk actually revolves at constant Speed all of the time but'with flashing or stroboscopic illurnination of the same it appears to stand still when the flashes are synchronized with its speed 'of ro-- tation, and to drift or turn when there is a de parture from'such synchronization. Various forms of electronic circuits maybe em ploy edior utilizing the periodicchanges in elecr t pacity occurring as an incident to vibra---;'

tion' of; the hairspr'ing l5 for producing a suitab-lc'ff signal and in particular for flashing alight illuminating th'efstroboscopic disklll. An electronic type "of circuit ispreferred since the "changes in capacityavailable from the spring" vibration-are very minute in character, a suitable form of circuit being illustrated in-FigsJ-ll); and 11 herein. V f Referring first to the electronic pick-up ar ranger'nent shown'in Fig. 10,- the same is illustrated as including an oscillator tube, shown as a triode 1-2, having a cathode 13, control grid (4'- and a o 1 i able tuned circuits are asso Grated withthe triode to' cause it to operate as an oscillator. Thus the cathode 13 is 'connectecl'-' toground through aresistor T6 shunted y a condenser 'lLlwhile the grid 14 has a feed back connection from the plate or anode 15 through a variable condenser 18 in shunt with an induc- -j tive winding '19; The latter pair'of elements are connected to the'' grid through a condenser sh 'untedby a resistor-8|. 'Platepotential is sup -f plied to the'anode "I 5 from a voltage divider ll2- through'an inductance 83 and primary winding 84 'of' a couplingtransfornfier fi; a condenser 86 being connected between the common terminals of 'thewindings 83, 84 andground. 'One type of oscillator f circuit that has been-"successfullyj 60. used is that known as anlU; H. F. Superreg'ener' ator.

is illustrated in Fig. 4; pag'e372 of The Radio Handbook, ninth edition'l942, published; by'Editors and Engineers, 1422 North Highland Aye.,Los Angeles'. V l j w The variable condenser 18 is adjusted to tune the oscillator circuit to a point such that it is only slightly out of resonance. Consequently, in-troduction' 'in to the oscillator circuit of the small 'c'hangein capacity efiectecl by the"con'-" denser constituted by the hairspring l5 and shell lifse'rvestopass the oscillator to and through; its resonancepoint once during eachcontraction f of the hairspring andja'gain during each eX'pan-gf sion of the hairspring; It is for that purpose that the shell 6! is connected to ground through" a winding "81 "inductively coupled with the wind t1 is useq. tp. lock. in step rme et-1%. lze izu eiteeie ee e -eemmete tie-mask ee ee ieeefi he he ne ze l5;

, eeisnali a L Output e 2. 55 15%? 2. 1

122 1.151% e eteee L 1: eed e1. e eee; e eeleetheeuglt ee aq neete 9 at we er eee with, e9 jeeeeneeeeer t e -fine e 9 r utn it e tube 3.; o a l iv beet e er.- z e-x ieni e e et e e wn e ei o m:

nece itplation let; it be the. a,

11 she ee ee ele pee etw ee he where:

therassume that th g stigqposcopig ffiic e19 weeding: he ra e Q s re qe eare zr n mew-renew, If he h l eeie is-imt Meme e ee lx t mz e lee d i h slei it e el beerv e e whic 7 ex E it 12% xes? epeee ee nee; e em-te arem- 51 e epeeete z Dells n the: eve

km etl 'e h iree ieeleed utt n e e a y xe ee length. Then he pulls out (mine: halnjile 52g;

leeei e th heri enr ne J-"Qm, tee e kefit jee' iir eveet en an qpparetps for. testing the natural ih fiie Qt. e e l ee lv endfi t l' rin belt n its, e ee e 'd n er Jen e ling} 'e efi': ee l 'e n. e lieei lel xle mean f r; iel eeeb t the out rengi portionof the spring with;

we; e me ee exie l bf heetef nt th e- ..n bfiet ene l y ellye ed he ix, en e de een e s dr eisle l 'si n l'e n: fqrnnty. with said 'c gn nqn of the spring, me nefs en t ne e' e e od n e tr a yinsulated spaced relation to the spring within thev qn ne of the ame o n; a h pr n about tlne axis of the staff the spring cqpyo melons contractand expand withreferencel. to saipl electrode whilev remaining. out of contact with tl e l ttt er, and means for producing a. signal in response to changes in electrical capacitance.

between the spring and electrode incident to the periodic changes in spacing between the same caused by izibr'a tion ottlie spring.

2. In an apparatus for. testing, the natural period of vibra' tion of anelectricelly conductive iletet r a e -fin he e mb ne i n h. meansfdr estgblisl ing. an, electric circuit in which the spring constitutes one electrode of a cone ee e e rin hay n t ea t on n 1 e ing e seeees e etre e f id e ee heeeeeeeiw ve iee e n inci e to h e: n. erm ne. eenfl a i n d ri ibr me ee for? e meerin e t e eelt it e. tee and frequency,theperiodiqity of capacity changes occurring in "said condenser.

3. en a r t e e t the natural per ed 0i vibr fien of en e r all e n u i were seei the eemb ne e an, eleetrede meansiior' slipporting the; spring for vibration so the t at legst'one fnll; turn? of; satid spring is in eee eeed; e e le t l eel nsu e relation, eeil e'e rede end: eee r e e u in e. eee in e neneeeh t e n le t e l ih e betw -en the rm n efid etrei nc to; line. periogiic change. in spacing between the; em lee' fee er v b zeti'e f p an apparatus for. testing the natural; period at vilpretion of an electrically conductive vspirgil? spring, the combination of an electrode,

means for: sg pportingf the spring for vibration ee eneyeleeteieelly li eme l r d e1 e ede melee; e ere g e.

151g im responsetg cl gngesin eleetrical capgci b twe e ti e. sex n he e e d t. en t die We're ien e t ng h r sq el te leet e 2 4- me n r e e ee heenet eeie w Q eeideie ele sta d ire? qggnqxi e t t. P5 :v e par l-me er ng nature; etiee e ibrefien. e? eete e l eed e' n & see n the eemlaine ien e an electrode? an fe lee e t e epx ee e ib et e ,nsql tliat at legst; oneifrill tnrn 013 said spring is e10 3 eeeee el ler. eleetr eell Hiee e e Z eti n tqsa iq elect ocle g. stroboscopic disk'having e -rev k e ee em e Peeee m ee Peeeueie fle ihe ef eel/d siiels. 3 xeesee e te the;

' e etee enem s: 1. esneine eee'sle y m y e Mange-wh e e L' heemb ne ien o e'nl periodic changes'in electrical capacitance between said Springandelectrodeincident to the vibration of said spring. a, I

6. In an apparatus for testing the natural period of vibration-of an electrically. conductivea spring, the combination oi an electrode, means for sup'porting the spring for vibration in closely to vibratory'movement of'said spring relative to "saidielectrode, said oscillator circuit l'including v adjustable tuning means for tuning the's'amef toi" a point sufliciently'close to resonance that the changes in said capacity incident to vibration of the spring will pass the circuit to and through resonance upon each vibration of the spring, and

eluding a second bearing supported above said base in alignment with the first-mentioned bearing for supporting the stafi for'fr'ee-oscillation,

a pair of clamping rollers disposed=laterally-of said electrode in position to 'pull' the hairspring into tapered helical configuration about said electrode in spaced relation to the latter,-means for turning said rollers to'vary the length of the vibration of the spring.

means for producing a visible signal in responsei fr to the periodic establishment of resonance conditions in said oscillator circuit.

7. In an apparatus for testing the natural period of vibration of an electrically conductive spring, the combination of an electrode, means for supporting the spring for vibration in closely spaced and electrically insulated relation to said electrode, a tuned oscillator circuit, means for introducing into said tuned oscillator circuit the periodically varying electrical capacity between said spring and electrode produced as an incident to vibratory movement of said spring relative to said electrode, said oscillator circuit including adjustable tuning means for tuning the same to a point sufficiently close to resonance that the changes in said capacity incident to vibration of the spring will pass the circuit to and through resonance upon each vibration of the spring, a stroboscopic disk having means for revolving the same at a predetermined fixed speed, and means for producing flashes of light illuminating said disk in response to the periodic establishment of resonance conditions in said oscillator circuit.

8. In an apparatus for testing the natural period of vibration of a balance wheel and hairspring assembly for timepieces including a stafi having a balance wheel and spiral hairspring secured thereto, the combination of means including a pair of spaced bearings adapted to receive the ends of the staff for supporting the assembly for free oscillation, a metal shell tapered axially toward one of said bearings and located on the side of the latter remote from the other bearing, a pair of clamping rollers disposed laterally of said shell in position to pull the hairspring into tapered helical configuration about said shell in spaced relation to the latter, means for turning said rollers to vary the length of the hairspring and consequently its natural period of vibration, means for electrically insulating said shell and hairspring from each other in order that they may serve as the respective electrodes of a condenser, and means for producing a signal in response to changes in the capacity of such condenser incident to the periodic changes in spacing between the spring and shell caused by vibration of the spring.

9. In an apparatus for testing the natural period of vibration of a balance wheel and hairspring assembly for timepieces including a stall? having a balance wheel and spiral hairspring secured thereto, a base, an electrode projecting upwardly from said base and electrically insulated therefrom, a bearing supported above said base and electrically insulated therefrom, means in! F hairspring and consequently its naturalperiod-of vibration, means including a plug type terminal carried by said base for establishing" an electric I circuit connection from said electrode, "and "means for producing a signal in response; to changes in electrical capacitance-between" the spring and electrode incident. to the periodic change in spacing betweenthesame caused by 10. In an apparatus for testing the natural'period of vibration of a balance wheel and: hairspring assembly for timepieces including a staff having a balance wheel and spiral hairspring secured thereto, a base, an electrode projecting upwardly from said base and electrically insulated therefrom, a bearing supported above said base and electrically insulated therefrom, means including a second bearing supported above said base in alignment with the first-mentioned bearing for supporting the stafi for free oscillation, a pair of clamping rollers disposed laterally of said electrode in position to pull the hairspring into tapered helical configuration about said electrode in spaced relation to the latter, means for turning said rollers to vary the length of the hairspring and consequently its natural period of vibration, means including a cup carried by said base and containing a globule of mercury in which the free end portion of the spring beyond said rollers may be immersed for establishing an electric circuit connection to the spring, and means for producing a signal in response to changes in electrical capacitance between the spring and electrode incident to the periodic change in spacing between the same caused by vibration of the spring.

11. In an apparatus for testing the natural period of vibration of a balance wheel and hairspring assembly for timepieces including a staff having a balance wheel and spiral hairspring secured thereto, the combination of a base carrying a first bearing, an overarm on said base, a sleeve having a rod disposed therein for limited axial movement, said rod having a second bearing on its lower end, means frictionally supporting said sleeve on said overarm for axially slidable movement in alignment with said first bearing, means for shifting said rod downwardly to cause a stair to be engaged between said bearings, said downward shifting of the rod causing a corresponding downward movement of said sleeve, means for shifting said rod to the upper extremity of its range of movement within said sleeve to thereby insure free oscillatory movement of the staff in said bearings, and means for releasably anchoring the outer end of said spiral hairspring.

12. In an apparatus of the type described, the combination of means for supporting for free oscillation an assembly comprising a staff carrying :a balance wheel and spiral hairspring, a pair of revoluble clamping rollers positioned to receive therebetween the free end portion of the hairspring, a pivoted lever supporting one of said rollers for bodily movement toward and from the other, a spring yieldably biasing said lever to swing the roller thereon toward the other roller clamp the gaming wiilhza' pxjgssnrg detenmined :by :the {stress 01 @1151 aspring. m s ing ge r ri d wi h .rmesp fitive oners 1015 said 1112114215, 3 a lid hawa :thind gear ,dpuma fid thenenn meshin with me one at :the :finskmentioned gears which is migid with the :mwahle filler, manual y V operabl :means (for rotating @said third gear mpnn movement 10f saidslidedin :the opposite Ed rection permits said stop the prevent fiche zimposition 10f the biaslof said yieldablekmeans on said flex/fer.

ROBERT 12 :mmmmcns mm The following references are of record in "th file of this patent: 

